VIA Rail to Resume Service Between Gillam and Churchill Once Track Is Deemed Safe for Passenger Train Operation

MONTREAL, June 11, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - VIA Rail Canada (viarail.ca) will resume its service between Gillam and Churchill once inspections of the railway on the Hechmer subdivision have been completed and the track is deemed safe for passenger train operations. On June 2^nd, 13 freight train cars derailed near Churchill in Northern Manitoba, forcing VIA Rail to suspend its service between Gillam and Churchill. The Corporation is awaiting a comprehensive safety review that will determine whether VIA Rail's safety requirements have been met to ensure the safety of passengers and employees travelling on this route.

At this time, passenger train service continues to be offered between Winnipeg and Gillam according to the normal schedule. Going south, departures of train #692 from Gillam are scheduled on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Wednesday departures of train #692 will operate between Gillam and The Pas. Going north, Sunday and Tuesday departures of train #693 will operate between Winnipeg and Gillam. Friday departures will operate between The Pas and Gillam. No alternate transportation between Gillam and Churchill is being offered.

VIA Rail thanks its customers for their understanding, and apologizes for any inconvenience caused by the suspension of service. We will communicate further developments on an ongoing basis.

About VIA Rail Canada
As Canada's national rail passenger service, VIA Rail Canada's (viarail.ca) and its 2,500 employees are mandated to provide safe, efficient and economical passenger transportation service, in both official languages of our country. VIA operates intercity, regional and transcontinental trains linking 450 communities across its 12,500-kilometre route network, and safely transports nearly four million passengers annually. The Corporation was awarded seven Safety Awards by the Railway Association of Canada over the last eight years, and is recipient of the 2012 Agent's Choice Award voted by Canadian travel agents and presented by Baxter Travel Media. Since 2007, the Government of Canada has invested almost a billion dollars in VIA Rail. Follow the progress of our transformation at viarail.ca/en/about-via-rail/capital-investment.

Follow us on our Evolution Blog at viaevolution.ca - On Twitter @VIA_rail and @VIARailPrez - On Facebook

SOURCE: VIA Rail Canada Inc.

Mylène Bélanger
Senior Media Relations Advisor
VIA Rail Canada
514 871-6137 | 1 877 393-8787
[email protected] | [email protected]